


Relief (part 3 of the Shelter series)

by GlynnisIsta8



Series: Shelter [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Darcy doesn't let opportunity go to waste, Darcy has a flip phone but hasn't had time to learn to use it properly, F/M, Fugitives, On the Run, Part 3 of the Shelter Series, Protective Steve Rogers, The Sokovia Accords suck, between CACW & IW, threats of capture and violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 08:56:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15703953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlynnisIsta8/pseuds/GlynnisIsta8
Summary: Darcy, Jane, & Betty are among many fugitives caught in an Accords Enforcers trap.





	Relief (part 3 of the Shelter series)

There was no way out.

Trembling, Darcy fumbled through her pockets as she ran away from the barricade.  She pulled out the flip phone, turned it on, and pressed its one speed-dial entry-  _'_ **Sassy Pants** _'_. In one ear she heard ring after ring. 

Around her, the barrage of enemy blows against the barricaded gates worsened and dire warning pronouncements filled the air. 

_’Surrender’._

_‘Divulge powers and your other crimes immediately’._

_’Resistance will be met with deadly force’._

_‘Lie face down with your arms extended, palms down’._

_‘You will be searched, tested, and interrogated’._

_‘Lying to Accords Enforcers is a felony under Article 13b.3 of the Sokovia Accords’._

Desert dust kicked up as helicopter gunships thumped in the air just beyond the canyon rim. Children wailed. Adults either struggled to push past the train cars that blocked the path to freedom or prepared to battle to the death at the front gate. Some people just froze, pale and horrified as tears streamed down their faces.

The first crack of wood and metal giving way sounded like a canon. 

Darcy nearly dropped the phone.

The call went to voice mail. Darcy tried to absorb strength and courage from the sound of Steve's voice recording.  She felt tight and fearful, small as she implored, "Steve?  Darcy.  Help! Enforcers are knockin' on the gate.  I'm in Texas, the Panhandle, in a canyon compound. Prob on my way to The Raft.  Hope that get-out-of-jail-free card you offered is still good. Hope I'm still around in a few minutes to take you up on it. You know how they get. If not, I... I'm glad I met you and wish I was back in that last safe house with you again. That was..." She watched a couple saying anguished goodbyes. "Been a while.  Too long. Even if you've moved on, don't be a stranger, please. Please. Jane’s work matters so much."  As she ended the call Darcy remembered waking with Steve in her arms. Her heart lurched.

Had she imagined things, made more of them?  Did Steve care about her?  Would he come to help?  It had been weeks since he'd last been spotted on network news.  Was he okay?  Or, would they arrive in The Raft to find him already there?  Darcy shuddered as she imagined the steps prison guards would take to contain Steve Rogers. That thought filled her with dread apart from her current predicament. Still, fear for herself and her friends whipped through her. Worrying about when she would have the chance to eat or drink next, she took sips from her water bottle. It was brutally hot. She passed the bottle to Jane, worrying how best to protect her friend.

Jane's eyes were wide with angry terror.  She grasped Darcy's hand. "I'm sorry.  I should've listened.  We should've left days ago. You were right."

The Enforcers had outdone themselves.  They had found the supposedly-impenetrable/safe, mystically-concealed fugitive encampment where Jane and Darcy had lived for weeks. The first hint of trouble was a tremendous racket as the first barrier across the main back exit crashed into place.  More followed quickly, courtesy of a powered individual cooperating with the Enforcers. Obviously, Secretary Ross understood the significance of taking this camp. Illegal immigrants mixed with scientists, ideological dissenters and influential organizers, and a wide range of powered people.  

Dogs barked across the camp, some threatening and others whining in terror. Children sobbed.

ICE trucks rumbled alongside the armored containment vehicles readied for powered individuals and other Sokovia Accords fugitives.  Accords Enforcers treated all they caught as 'potentially-powered'. Many prisoners suffered traumatic injury during raids like this. Many died. Enforcer brutality was the stuff of legend now. For some, capture might mean eventual house arrest or draconian probation.  For others, it meant deportation. The rest, except for the dead, would be sent to The Raft or another super max facility.  

One downside of Jane's hard-earned fame, and public knowledge of her connection to Thor, was that Darcy was sure that if they survived they would join the powered prisoners in the underwater gulag.  Jane was openly defiant against attempts to control science. While Darcy wasn't as infamous as Jane, she'd been documented as a friend of Thor's since their Puente Antiguo days and Jane's through their time in London and while on the run.

The Raft loomed like a cold, watery nightmare.

Jane had made great progress on her current project.  The chance to review molecular biology concerns with her former colleague and friend, Betty Ross, left Jane as giddy as Darcy had seen her in a long time.  Betty's expertise gave them life-saving information.  It all influenced Darcy to agree to stay longer than she felt safe.  She regretted that. She wouldn't let something like this happen again, if she had the chance. Intuition was her friend and ought not be ignored.

Darcy shook her head and hugged Jane.  "My fault.  I could've made you leave. I ignored my gut instincts cuz it was nice to be around sane people again and the food was pretty good."  She frowned with regret to Betty Ross as the taller woman adjusted her backpack straps and shifted a computer bag on her hip.

Darcy blamed herself entirely. She should have moved the two scientists to another safe house sooner. A closer look at Dr. Ross revealed terror in that wise woman's eyes. Like Jane, Betty Ross had notorious connections and powerful knowledge.  Led by the zealous U.S Secretary of State, Accords Enforcers sought to control and dictate all research and use of powers. Darcy knew that Betty had suffered Thaddeus Ross' control mania too much already.  

Another crack split through the wood of the main gate. The three women huddled closer together and murmured empty-feeling reassurances.

Nearly one hundred fugitives of all ages and types were caught in this trap.  While there had been multiple ways to leave the remote area when they arrived, the soldiers laid the trap carefully and blocked all secondary exits before making their presence known. Every path out was blocked.

That realization brought Darcy up short. It wasn't entirely her fault.

"Someone betrayed us," Darcy shared with Jane and Betty.  "This is too thorough, too tight a trap." Her jaw ticced with suspicious anger.  She looked around to see who wasn't panicking. Darcy considered different possibilities.

Betty nodded, expression grim. "Yes.  He thought of everything." She held her laptop closer to her body, as though to protect the knowledge it held. She looked anguished as she contemplated destroying it.  She frowned to Jane.

Jane nodded agreement that they should destroy their work rather than have it fall into the wrong hands. A resolute tear tracked down her face.

Quiet fell.

The pounding at the gate stopped. Strange silence held everyone under its spell until a frightened scream pierced it. Then, all heard soldiers on the other side of the gate crying out in alarm as their battle efforts turned outward.

Flares of red energy arced outside the barricade, a sight that seemed mystical.  Darcy pulled Jane back as the scientist's curiosity drew her towards the melee.  Behind them, the tone of the fugitives' cries shifted. One of the massive train cars hemming them in budged abruptly and moved up, carefully lifted.  The silhouette of a man was visible under its wide bulk. 

Darcy smiled.

People began shouting and darting past him. As he lifted the weight higher and held it overhead the trickle grew to a steady flood of fugitives making their escape, some thanking him while most just ran for their lives.  

Darcy would know that heroic silhouette anywhere. It was Steve Rogers. "Damn. He sure makes an entrance."  She blinked back tears.

"They didn't think of quite everything, I guess," laughed Jane.  Betty, Jane, and Darcy exchanged smiles of pleased relief.  The scientists re-secured their computers.

Darcy drank another sip of water and tucked her water bottle in the outside of her backpack, "don't wait all night!  Let's get out of here." She shoved Jane and Betty forward. Darcy nearly fell over a small child sitting in the way, but lifted the boy to his feet. “Go!”  He didn't cry, instead speeding away like a blur.  "Wow, little Dash!  That's awesome!"  Darcy shook her head with wonder as she was buffeted forward. Under the shadow of the train car, she stopped and stared up into Steve's face. "That's awesome, too. Hey there, Steve! Fancy meeting you here."

Steve nodded to her silently. His brow furrowed with concentration.  

Darcy realized that balancing the bulky weight was more of a challenge to Steve than lifting it, especially when people bumped against him and he winced.  She guided several crying fugitives around him and urged Jane and Betty, "gimme a minute.  I'll catch up. Keep moving."  She continued to guide people past Steve so that they didn't make his work harder. Further down the path she saw a small dog tangled in some brush, pulling vainly against its leash.

As the throng thinned, Steve gave Darcy a tight smile.  "Thanks. Gonna throw this at them in about a minute.  Block pursuit." His gaze fairly burned into her. "I'll stop them from coming after you." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but closed his mouth abruptly instead.

Darcy nodded and shrugged.  "Sure. Makes sense of some phenomenally strong-guy sort. Thanks, again."  She looked around, hoping the shadow of his burden would conceal them.  "I'll just say 'hi' more properly and get out of your way, then. Hope you don't mind. Really hope."  With that, she stepped close against Steve and leaned up to kiss him. She'd dreamed about it so many times.  It was a light, sweet brush of her lips on his until he dipped his head to respond and deepen the kiss. Passion flowed between them. They kissed again and again in a starved manner. She was almost dizzy with relief. It felt right, addictive. So close, she could feel the small tremors of his muscles. "Hi, you. Wow."

"Darcy!" he groaned in a soft and wanting tone. "Text when you're safe?  Let me know you're okay?" Steve pulled back, giving her a questioning look.

"Text?  You know I can't text!" She pouted, wishing for a smart phone again.

His expression brightened with perplexed hope. "You... What? Don't you have the phone I gave you?"

Darcy stared. "Yeah. I left you a panic voice mail just now." She felt foolish as realization dawned.  "You mean it can  _text_? _!_ That dinosaur?! Get out! Have you sent...?"

Steve gave a short nod. "Text me when you're safe." His eyes narrowed as they both heard sounds of combat coming closer. "Go, Sweetheart!" All tenderness left his face as he readied to take down the approaching Enforcers.

Darcy gave Steve one more kiss and admired the implacable set of his jaw.  "Going. Bye, for now."  

She darted past him, after Betty and a frantic Jane down a path towards their well-hidden van. She unhooked and scooped up the small dog she'd seen struggling. "Come on, baby.  Let's get you to safety, too." She looked back as Steve roared and threw the train car. It crashed thunderously.  "Holy shit!"  

Steve leapt forward to engage Enforcers in hand-to-hand combat, a violent blur.

She almost pitied the soldiers who had to fight him. Almost.  Darcy ran and urged those she passed to go as fast as they could.

Jane panted, "well, thank God you finally kissed him. Hope it was good."

"Great. Want more. Talk later. Run now." Darcy grabbed Jane's arm and urged her and Betty along. "Sooner we're clear, the better. Move it, Docs!"  She panted, “and later one of you can explain why you didn’t mention that flip phones can text. I was born about the same time as that tech.  How am I supposed to know that?”

Fugitive groups split across every trail away from the compromised camp and the noises of battle. Ross’ surprise collapsed under the force of former-Avengers’ righteous rage.

Darcy's heart pounded fast from fading fears, from exertion, and from thoughts of the kisses she'd finally shared with Steve.

Mostly from the kisses. She wanted more.

_fin_

**Author's Note:**

> When I posted part 2 of this series, Ao3 was having problems. My post disappeared several times. When I finally got it to post, it said it was part 9 of the (then) 2 part series... :P


End file.
